(digitally restored photo)
William Thomas “Willie” Pruett (1868-1945) was born as the second of ten children of Ephraim Thomas Pruett (1840-1907) and Delaware Green Watson (~1848-1915). To read more about his parents, visit my post “Letters from Grandmother.” Later census records state that Willie achieved a first grade education. By being one of the oldest children on a farm, he had responsibilities at home that likely outweighed his opportunities to further his education. When he was 23 years old, he married Susan Harris “Sue” Watson (1864-1933) who was his second cousin. The following year, Willie and his brother John Ballard Pruett (1873-1960) purchased a farm along what is now Hickory Road. John later married Sue’s sister, Mittie Cora Watson (1875-1946), and they all four lived in the same farmhouse. They attended Weal Presbyterian Church where they were laid to rest in its graveyard decades later. The collection features letters written to either Willie’s mother or his sister, Ida Pruett. His messages are brief, and his handwriting can be difficult to read, but it is easy to see that he had a strong dialect. He often mentioned the weight and profit of his tobacco sales. Below are eleven letters written by Uncle Willie between 1908 and 1915. I’ve added punctuation for easier reading, but kept the original spelling.
The original “Land for Sale” sign from 1892 is still in the possession of the family. The document reveals the land was auctioned by P. B. Moses at 10:00 AM on June 1, 1892. It contained 108 acres of land “known as the Bold Spring tract.” The land has now belonged to Pruett family descendants for over 130 years.
Hello Ida, how ar you? Well I hope. I am well. I have bin to town to day an carred sum tobacco. I soald a curing for $172 an also soald the primings for $60. I have soald fore curings an the primings for $670 an we have three curings to sell. We ar having sum nise weather now but I havant burnt no plant beds yet. Well you mus cum soon an writ soon. By by, W T Pruett.
Hello Mama, how ar you? Well I hope. We ar all well. Write soon, by by. W T Pruett.
Hello Mamma, how ar you geting on? Well I hope. We ar all well as common. Well I have no nuse to write. I ame to go to planting corn Monday, but I havant planted nun yet. Tel Joe that I have got plenty of tobacco plants but the[y] ar small and the bugs ar bad. Well you must cum as soon as you can. W T Pruett to Mamma.
Hello Ida, how are you? Well I hope. I am on my way from Danville. I got $130.30. W T Pruett.
Hello Mamma, how ar you? Well I hop. I have got a bile on my jaw and Lener [Evelena, his niece; AKA Nina] has got a bad coald. I have no nuse to write except bad weather. We soald a curing of tobacco at Chatham last Friday for one hundred an aty ate [188] dollers. You must all come soon and write soon. From Willie to Mamma. By.
Hello Ida how ar you geting own? Well I hope. I am so tired I cant hardly sit up. I hav put forty seven shocks of wheat this evening. Well I have no nuse to write. You must cum soon and write soon. If you wate as long as I did I will be mad. By by, W T Pruett.
Hello Mama, how ar yo? Well I hope. We are all well. We have had a nice rain and a wind storm bload down the corn, froze sum tobacco leaves. The crops wars moast dride up, but I recken it will cum out sum. I wont to prime tobacco this weak. Write soon an cum soon from Willie to Mamma.
Helo Ida, how ar you? Well I hope. I am sick. You aught to be down hear now. Write soon W T Pruett. By by.
Hello Ida, I am on the jury this week. I want you to com and stay with me [obscured] dint see Lill but once while she wars down here. I made $[obscured] last weak and I have made [$87?] this week. Yo frend and bro W T Pruett.
Hello Mamma, how ar you? Well I hope. We ar all well as comon. I have no nuse to write. The weather is so hot that I broke down be for night. I hav ame to write every night this weak but I wars so tired that I put it of til tonight. You must cum soon and write soon. By by, W. T. Pruett.
Hello Ida, how ar you? Well I hope. I am well. You say you wish you was down hear. I wish you wars, we wold play domonose every night. I will come as soon as I can. I will have to go to priching Sunday if you want to cum before. I can cum make Joe bring you down hear and I will carry you home. You must write soon. W T Pruett, by by.
Pingback: Cartes-de-Visite – Griffith Preservation
Pingback: Cabinet Cards – Griffith Preservation
Pingback: Letters from Grandmother – Griffith Preservation